This invention relates to an electronic record storage system and to a method of operation thereof.
In particular, a first aspect and a second aspect of the present invention relate to a method of operation of an electronic record storage system having a plurality of stored records. Each record includes its content (such as a word processor document, spreadsheet, or drawing) which may be changed from time to time. In addition, each record has a record identifier (such as its filename or URL) which is not normally changed when the record content is changed. The content of each record can be printed out as and when required.
Such systems are, of course, extremely well known. A problem, especially for large organisations employing such a system, is that paper documents do not disappear. Indeed, in many organisations, the number of paper documents is likely to increase as a result of the introduction of electronic document systems. A problem, therefore, is how to synchronise and integrate the two kinds of documents systems, electronic and paper.
Many paper documents in an organisation are the output of electronic records produced and updated by the organisation itself. At the time of printing, the electronic and paper documents are synchronised; they both have the same content. However, over time, the electronic record and the paper document may each be modified; the electronic record may be updated, and the paper document may be annotated. There has therefore been a need for somebody manually to reconcile the electronic record with the paper document. This has been time consuming and laborious. In the meantime, people accessing an electronic record do not know whether it is up-to-date and accurate, and people looking at a paper document have a similar problem.
The method of the first aspect of the invention employs the feature that each record has a version identifier (such as a timestamp) which is changed when the content of that record is changed. In itself, this feature is already common. However, additionally, the method of the first aspect of the invention is characterised by the steps of: including, in such a print of the content of a such record, a marking from which the respective record identifier and version identifier can be derived; and, subsequently, enabling a user to scan the marking on the print (preferably with a hand-held scanner) to produce marking image data, deriving from the marking image data a scan-derived record identifier and scan-derived version identifier, using the scan-derived record identifier to access the respective current record and obtain the respective currently-stored version identifier, comparing the scan-derived version identifier with the currently-stored version identifier, and indicating to the user a result of the comparison. For example, the user can simply scan the marking on the print and be told whether or not the stored version of the record is a later version. By simple inspection of the paper, the user can see whether it has been marked up with any annotations.
Preferably, in the case where, in the comparing step, the currently-stored version identifier indicates a more up-to-date version than the scan-derived version identifier, the method further includes the steps of providing to the user an option to select printing of the currently-stored content of the stored record, and in response to such a selection, printing the currently-stored content of the respective record. The user can therefore simply obtain an up-to-date print of the stored record.
Preferably, in the case where, in the comparing step, the currently-stored version identifier indicates a more up-to-date version than the scan-derived version identifier, the method further comprises the steps of: providing to the user an option to select comparison of the currently-stored content of the record and the print; and, in response to such a selection, enabling the user to scan the print to produce content image data, deriving the content from the content image data, comparing the scan-derived content with the currently-stored content of the record, and indicating to the user the differences between the currently-stored content and scan-derived content. The user can therefore simply scan the print and be shown any differences between the printed and stored versions, for example by displaying one of the versions with the differences from the other version highlighted.
Preferably, in the case where, in the comparing step, the currently-stored version identifier and the scan-derived version identifier concur, the method further includes the steps of: providing to the user an option to select updating of the currently-stored content of the stored record; and, in response to such a selection, enabling the user to scan at least part of the print and any annotations thereon to produce update image data, updating the content of the record in dependence upon the update image data, and updating the version identifier of the record. The user can therefore simply update the stored version of the record.
In the case where the version identifier is a timestamp, the timestamp which can be derived from the marking on the print need not be the timestamp of the record, but instead may be a timestamp indicative of the time of printing. Accordingly, the method of the second aspect of the invention is characterised by the steps of: including in such a print a marking from which the respective record identifier and a timestamp indicative of the time of printing can be derived; and, subsequently, enabling a user to scan the marking on the print to produce marking image data, deriving from the marking image data a scan-derived record identifier and scan-derived timestamp, using the scan-derived record identifier to access the respective current record and obtain the respective currently-stored timestamp, comparing the scan-derived timestamp with the currently-stored timestamp, and indicating to the user a result of the comparison. Again, therefore, the user can simply scan the marking on the print and be told whether or not the stored version of the record is a later version; and by simple inspection of the paper, the user can see whether it has been marked up with any annotations.
Preferably, in the case where, in the comparing step, the currently-stored timestamp indicates a later time than the scan-derived timestamp, the method further comprises the steps of providing to the user an option to select printing of the current content of the stored record, and in response to such a selection, printing the currently-stored content of the respective record. Again, the user can therefore simply obtain an up-to-date print of the stored record.
Preferably, in the case where, in the comparing step, the currently-stored timestamp indicates a later time than the scan-derived timestamp, the method further comprises the steps of: providing to the user an option to select comparison of the currently-stored content of the record and the print; and, in response to such a selection, enabling the user to scan the print to produce content image data, deriving the content from the content image data, comparing the scan-derived content with the currently-stored content of the record, and indicating to the user the differences between the currently-stored content and scan-derived content. Again, the user can therefore simply scan the print and be shown any differences between the printed and stored versions, for example by displaying one of the versions with the differences from the other version highlighted.
Preferably, in the case where, in the comparing step, the currently-stored timestamp indicates a time no later than the scan-derived timestamp, the method further includes the steps of: providing to the user an option to select updating of the currently-stored content of the stored record; and, in response to such a selection, enabling the user to scan at least part of the print and any annotations thereon to produce update image data, updating the content of the record in dependence upon the update image data; and updating the timestamp of the record. Again, the user can therefore simply update the stored version of the record. Where a timestamp indicative of the time of printing of the document is used, a state of concurrence may be defined as the content of the record being changed no later than the time at which the document was printed, and may additionally be defined as the print of the document occurring within a predetermined period of time of the change of content. For example if a document is printed within 10 minutes of the content being changed, concurrence may be defined to exist.
A third aspect of the present invention provides an electronic record storage system which is arranged to perform the method of the first or second aspect of the invention.
A fourth aspect and a fifth aspect of the present invention also relate to complementary electronic record storage system. The system comprises: means for storing a plurality of records, each record having a record identifier, content which may be changed from time to time, and a version identifier which is changed when the content of that record is changed; means for printing the content of such a record; and means for scanning a print of a record.
The system of the fourth aspect of the invention is characterised in that the system is arranged: to include in such a print a marking from which the respective record identifier and version identifier can be derived; and, subsequently, to enable a user to scan the marking on the print to produce marking image data, to derive from the marking image data a scan-derived record identifier and scan-derived version identifier, to use the scan-derived record identifier to access the respective current record and obtain the respective currently-stored version identifier, to compare the scan-derived version identifier with the currently-stored version identifier, and to indicate to the user a result of the comparison.
The system of the fifth aspect of the invention is characterised in that the system is arranged: to include in such a print a marking from which the respective record identifier and a timestamp indicative of the time of printing can be derived; and, subsequently, to enable a user to scan the marking on the print to produce marking image data, to derive from the marking image data a scan-derived record identifier and scan-derived timestamp, to use the scan-derived record identifier to access the respective current record and obtain the respective currently-stored timestamp, to compare the scan-derived timestamp with the currently-stored timestamp, and to indicate to the user a result of the comparison.